


Blessings

by zebraljb



Series: Tis the Season [15]
Category: Kingsman (Movies)
Genre: Future Fic, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-15
Updated: 2018-12-15
Packaged: 2019-09-18 12:39:09
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,226
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16995159
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/zebraljb/pseuds/zebraljb
Summary: PROMPT - blessingsMerlin and Harry are in their seventies, and today is a turning point for Merlin's life.





	Blessings

BLESSINGS

“Darling.” Warm lips press to the back of Merlin’s neck and he sighs, burrowing closer.

“Morning.” He grabs Harry’s arm and wraps it around his waist.

“Good morning, my love.” The lips brush over his ear and he shivers. “Time to get up. It’s after seven.”

“No,” Merlin says stubbornly. “I want to stay here with you forever.”

“While that sounds absolutely charming, we both know my alluring body is not the reason why you want to stay in bed forever.” Harry pulls away and Merlin whines.

He rolls over to glare at his husband. “Prick.”

“I have a nice one, yes.” Harry glances down at his groin and grins. “Come on, Merlin.”

“I cannot remember the last time YOU had to get ME out of bed.” Merlin slowly sits up, bones and joints creaking into place. 

“I think in fifty years together there might have been a few times.” Harry takes his cane from its place at the nightstand and slowly goes over to the closet.

“Your hip is bothering you.”

“I’m fine.”

Merlin carefully climbs out of bed and does his stretches before moving anywhere else. He walks over to Harry. “Your hip is bothering you,” he repeats.

“I’ve landed on it so many times I can’t count.” Harry pulls a favorite suit from the closet. 

“I’ll find time today to work something out. There has to be a…”

“Merlin,” Harry says gently. He slowly pulls another suit out and hands it to Merlin.

“Oh. Right.” Merlin takes the suit and hangs it on the door of the en suite. “You should take something. Anti-inflammatories don’t hurt.”

“I will.”

“And you should exercise. I stretch twice a day and walk the halls every day…”

“Yes, I know.” 

“You’re going to turn into an old man, Harry.”

“I hate to tell you, dearest, but we are old men. Both of us.”

“I don’t have time to be old,” Merlin says, going into the en suite and closing the door.

 

He smiles as he sees his oatmeal and juice ready at his seat in the kitchen. His smile falters as he sees the small pile of pills there as well. “Thank you, Harry.” 

“You’re welcome, Merlin.” Harry turns around from the counter and gasps. “Oh, Merlin!”

“What?” Merlin slowly turns around. “What’s going on?”

“You.” Harry limps over to stand before him. “You look so handsome. Like you did on our wedding day.”

“I’ve worn suits before.”

“Not in a very long time.” He tenderly kisses Merlin, running a hand over his smooth head. “You still take my breath away.”

“I think that’s your lungs, not my looks,” Merlin replies but he kisses Harry’s cheek before sitting down. 

“The cab will be here in twenty minutes.”

“We don’t need a cab. We…”

“Merlin,” Harry says sternly. “Arthur said a car would pick us up.”

“Arthur is a melodramatic fool.”

“Perhaps the LAST Arthur was, but not the new one.” Harry grins. “A vast improvement.”

“I can’t argue with that.” Merlin forces the pills down, trying not to think of each body system they treat as they go down. His heart. His memory. His hands. 

By the time they’ve cleaned up and are heading for the door Merlin’s already exhausted, and not just physically. “What is it?” 

“Do we really have to go?” Merlin asks quietly. “It’s not necessary. We’ll take the day together, just spend time relaxing, enjoying each other’s company. I can do this anytime.”

“No. You can’t.” Harry carefully hugs him, mindful of his suit. “It has to be today. You’ve been promising this to me for the last five years.”

“I know. I just…”

“It will be fine. We’ll slip in and out, do what’s necessary, and then the day is ours. We can do whatever you like?”

“I want to go to the art museum and push you around in a wheelchair.”

“Fat chance,” Harry says and Merlin finally smiles. 

The Kingsman cab takes them to the shop and Harry holds Merlin’s hand all the way. Merlin helps Harry from the cab and slows his pace to match his husband’s. The dark hair is now white, and the slender hand is always clutching a cane, but he still carries himself like a gentleman and Merlin loves him as much as he did when they were in their twenties. Andrew is long gone; a middle-aged man named Phillip now runs the shop. “Good morning, Merlin. Arthur.”

“You don’t need to call me that, Phillip,” Harry says with a smile, but Merlin knows he secretly loves it.

“I’m afraid I cannot help it, sir. Congratulations and have a good day.”

“Thank you.” They make their way to the bullet train one last time, Merlin walking slowly so he can take everything in. 

Harry sits next to him on the train, once more taking his hand. “I’m not a child, Harry.”

“You behave like one on occasion,” Harry says with a grin. “Aren’t I allowed to hold your hand?”

Merlin looks down at their entwined fingers, imagining a day when Harry won’t be there to hold it. “Any time you want,” he promises.

The ride to HQ goes far too quickly, and Merlin hesitates before leaving the train. Harry starts striding away, his pace a bit quicker, a bit stronger. “Let’s go, Merlin,” he calls over his shoulder.

“Where are you going?”

“Your office?” Harry heads away from Merlin’s office, towards the hangar where the cars and vehicles are kept.

“Harry.” Merlin tries to catch up but somehow Harry is outrunning him. With a cane. “My office is down that way.”

“We need to go this way.”

Merlin starts to panic. Harry’s memory has been slightly weak now and then, but nothing like this. “Harry…”

“Do come on, Merlin.” Harry pushes the door of the hangar and goes inside.

“Harry Hart, you…”

Merlin’s glad his heart isn’t TOO bad, because what he’s seeing probably could have driven him into cardiac arrest. The hangar is full of people, employees past and present. A large cake is on a table surrounded by snacks and drinks, and a giant banner reads “Happy Retirement, Merlin.” He covers his mouth with his hand, and does something that he’s never done in his long history as a Kingsman. He cries in HQ. Sobs wrack his body and he feels Harry’s arms come around him. “Congratulations, my love.”

“I…oh, God.” He buries his face in Harry’s shoulder until he gets himself together. “Thank you…thank you everyone.” A hand rubs his back. He turns to see a beautiful woman standing behind him, her greying blond hair pulled into a tight bun. “Arthur…”

“Congratulations, Merlin. We’re sorry to see you go.” She hugs him. “And for this one day, I believe it would be all right for you to call me by my real name.”

“Very well…Roxanne.”

A line of well-wishers starts to form and two chairs are pulled up for Harry and Merlin. Harry immediately sits, looking like the Arthur he’d been for thirty years, but Merlin chooses to stand. He doesn’t want to say goodbye with them looking down on him. He wants to look everyone in the eye, exchange a greeting and a “remember when,” punctuated by a long embrace or a kiss on the cheek.

The line dwindles down as people move to have cake and snacks. A beautiful young woman with blond hair and incredible green eyes waits to greet him. “I’m sorry…are you new?” Merlin’s certain he’d remember someone like this, a young woman who looks like a supermodel and doesn’t seem to be more than twenty. 

She gives him a vaguely familiar cheeky grin. “Don’t you know me, Granlin? And I came all this way.” Her mouth turns into a charming pout.

“Sophia?” Merlin gasps. He pulls her into a crushing hug. “My dear girl…what are you doing here?” 

“Someone had to come along and make sure Dad remembers to come back home.” She flips her long hair over her shoulder and laughs. “I know once he gets around all of you he’ll forget that he’s the King Consort of Sweden and not a Kingsman agent.”

“He’s here?” Merlin eagerly looks around.

“Of course I’m here. Like I’d miss this.” A handsome middle-aged man steps around her. “Fuck, it’s good to see you, Merlin.”

“Well, your grammar’s improved, but I see you haven’t forgotten how to use profanity.” Merlin hugs Eggsy and tears spring to his eyes again. “I can’t believe you’re here.” They’ve kept in touch with Eggsy through the years, though not as much as they had when his marriage was new and his children were young. They’d visited England every year, growing up calling Harry and Merlin Papa and Granlin (a combination of Granddad and Merlin). After Tilde’s parents died and she was officially named Queen, Eggsy was given more responsibilities and they only managed trips to England every few years. 

“You believed in me when no one else did, Merlin. You and Harry.” Eggsy’s eyes are wet as well. “Seeing you leave Kingsman, it’s like the end of an era. I’m almost glad I’m not here anymore…couldn’t bear to be here without you in my ear.”

“I have a very capable staff. Trained them myself, of course.”

“How is he?” Eggsy quietly motions to Harry. “I talked to him earlier in the week, he seemed fine, but…he’s limping.”

“Yes, his hip. And he’s been getting headaches. Tries to downplay it but I make him take his medication and see the neurologist regularly.”

“Good. I’m sorry Tilde and Erik couldn’t be here, but the Queen of Sweden and her son the Crown Prince don’t often get vacation days.” Eggsy gives his old cheeky grin. “Did you ever think I’d be the father of the future King of Sweden?”

“It is difficult for me to wrap my mind around,” Merlin says. “There were times I thought you’d never live to see thirty, you were so reckless.”

“Tilde keeps me down to earth. And Erik…fuck, Merlin, I’m so proud of him.”

“And how are you doing, my dear?” Merlin turns to Sophia. 

“I want to travel around the world and take pictures, but Mum and Dad won’t let me.” She pouts again, looking remarkably like her beautiful mother.

“You have enough time to be a photojournalist after you finish uni,” Eggsy says sternly. “Do you really want to get me started?”

“I’m sorry to interrupt but they’re expecting a toast, darling.” Harry kisses Merlin’s cheek before pulling Eggsy close. “My dear boy…so good to see you.”

“Hello, Haz.” Eggsy hugs him hard. “Still as dapper as ever.”

“Of course. One can always look their best with some effort, no matter what their age.” He pats Eggsy’s stomach, which isn’t as flat as it used to be.

“Oi…don’t fuckin’ start, all right?” The estuary creeps into his speech and it rolls over Merlin like a warm blanket.

“I won’t. But don’t think I didn’t notice.” Harry gives Merlin a nudge. “You’re not getting out of this, my love.”

“Fine.” He meets Roxy’s eye and she calls everyone to attention. Merlin stands for a moment, just looking at everyone. An arm goes around his waist and he looks to his left to see Eggsy smiling up at him. Harry stands on his right. “This is the hardest day of my life,” Merlin says finally. “I’ve given everything to this job, blood, sweat and tears. I’ve sent agents to their deaths, I’ve prayed at their bedsides. It’s been stressful and frustrating and there are days I’ve wondered why I do it. But Kingsman has given me a job I could be proud of. It’s made me into the man I am today. It gave me the young man I’ve loved as a son…” He feels Eggsy squeeze around his waist. “And it gave me the love of my life.” He turns to Harry and kisses him in front of everyone, something he’s never done. “I will never be ready to walk away from Kingsman, but I know it’s time. I’m so lucky…I’m able to actually walk away. The Kingsman organization, and all of you, have showered me with more blessings then I could ever deserve. I thank you all from the bottom of my heart.” He starts to break down again and Eggsy pulls him into a warm hug. 

Sophia weasels her way in and hugs him. “You are amazing, Granlin. You’ve earned this.”

“Thank you, my dear.” Merlin wipes at his eyes. “Please tell me you can at least come for dinner tonight.”

“Of course,” Eggsy say immediately. “Sophie has to go back to school tomorrow…but I made plans to stay the week, if you have room for me.”

“Of course we do!” Merlin says, delighted. “Let me tell…”

“Haz knows already. We’ve been planning this for weeks,” Eggsy says with a wink. “We’re staying at a hotel tonight.”

He steps away to hug Roxy and Merlin turns to Harry. “I can’t believe everyone did this…all for me.”

“Of course they did, my love. You ARE Kingsman. Have been for decades.”

“Yes…but now it’s time to let it go and spend my time with you. I love you, Harry.”

Harry rubs his nose against Merlin’s and kisses him. “And I love you, Merlin.”


End file.
